Obesity -- More the Fault of the Individual Than of Society

Obesity is a tremendous problem in American society with more than two-thirds of all adults and nearly half of all children either overweight or clinically obese (Baldauf, 2008; Sizer & Whitney, 2003). There are many reasons that account for this, some of which have to do with modern life and others that are attributable to personal choices made by individuals and families on behalf of children. Granted, modern life does entail far less physical activity: personal vehicles and public transportation have taken the place of walking; most work is sedentary rather than physical; and food companies invest heavily in marketing non-nutritious high-calorie food. However, being overweight or obese is not inevitable and many people maintain healthy body composition and weight throughout their lives. Among all of the contributing factors, those that are purely a matter of choice are the...
[ View Full Essay]